No Tolls, Please

In a state that already struggles with high taxes and corporate retention, is the true solution for rebuilding Connecticut’s infrastructure more taxation [Jan. 24 editorial, courant.com, “Connecticut Really Does Need Tolls”]? I would argue that commuters will be affected by more than the cost of passing through a toll. For example, the cost of new tolling technology could contribute to a spike in state taxes.

In Connecticut, there is a chance that people will try to avoid toll roads, which could cause an increase in traffic on town roads. This increase could lead to roads not being maintained as often as required because the towns may not have the money to take care of the influx of traffic. While some roads in towns are maintained by state Department of Transportation, most are the responsibility of the town.

Although tolls are no longer a danger, increasing traffic in towns can have an adverse effect on safety and actually increase accidents.